


Accidents Can Happen to the Best of Them

by station51 (vickir)



Series: Emergency! mishaps [3]
Category: Emergency! (TV 1972)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-01-31 15:43:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21448645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vickir/pseuds/station51
Summary: The unimaginable can and will happen.
Series: Emergency! mishaps [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1358287
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17
Collections: Emergency! stories





	Accidents Can Happen to the Best of Them

**Author's Note:**

> This is the third and final story in this three story series of mishaps.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that I write about in the Emergency! In regards to the original characters in any of my stories I do own them and they are mine to do as I please with them.

For the last six to eight months, everything at Station 51 was running okay. Mike Stoker, along with the other two engineers working at the station, was on a rotating roster of attending the monthly engineer’s meeting at LA County Fire Department Headquarters. That meant they only had to participate in the meeting once every three months. In saying that, the three engineers had their own mini session after it, so all three knew what occurred.

With everything running smoothly, Chet, who Mike had trained to fill in for him as a last resort, wasn’t getting any more time in the driver’s seat. Which kind of bummed him out. When he had driven, he had done an excellent job, well, he thought so. Until he drove the engine into a sinkhole. It wasn’t his fault, and even Captain Stanley had to admit it was a fluke. Mike knew that, but wasn’t happy to have his beloved engine once again in the workshop, though only for a few hours.

When the engine had been returned, it still had the mud on the outside and the floor of the cabin. Chet was the first to help clean the engine before it went back into service. Mike refused to allow Hank to clear them for active duty until the engine was cleaned to his standard. It took two solid hours before Mike was satisfied. 

After that, Mike was more obsessed with his engine than anyone could be. Hank sighed every time dirt, or a scratch was detected on the big red rig. He had no idea how Marco and Chet could live with Mike, but they did, somehow. So, he continued on with his work like the others. Only when Mike’s turn to attend the engineer's meeting did Hank get a little bit anxious, but the C-shift engineer remained on duty until Mike returned. Making Hank breathe a little easier as nothing happened to the engine. Especially after a couple of months, when no reprisals seemed to have occurred or in the process of happening. That was about to change, and there was nothing Hank or Mike could do to stop what happened. 

Months had passed since the last incident, and Station 51 was back to normal; well, as much as it could with John and Chet. Mike hadn’t played any revenge on Chet or the rest of the men on A-shift after his beloved engine went for a dip in the mud. Everyone wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. As the weeks went by, they all relaxed more. Mike wasn’t going to do another revenge; due to the fact, it couldn’t be helped what happened. 

The day was sunny: the skies clear with no clouds in sight when the station got called out to an apartment fire soon after roll call. It was early afternoon when the engine crew returned to the station. Mike was reversing the engine into the station with the help of Marco directing as he reversed in. Marco was hanging off the back of the engine and didn’t notice the tool trolley, which had been pushed by John when the call for the apartment fire had come through. The paramedics had been doing some minor repairs to the squad. 

Due to the sun being so bright, Marco’s eyes didn’t adjust quick enough for him to see the trolley, not until it was too late. He knew it was there, but the sun had caused him to miss it and how close it was to the rear of the spot the engine usually sat. 

By the time Marco noticed the trolley, it was too late. The engine ran into it. Mike cut the engine when he heard the loud crash. He had been given the all-clear by Marco, so what was it he had hit?

Jumping from his seat along with his captain, Mike raced to the rear where Marco was standing. When he got there, he saw the trolley now on its side with the back of the engine on top of it.

“What the hell! Marco! Why didn’t you signal for me to stop?”

“Mike, calm down and watch the language,” Hank said before Marco spoke.

“Cap, look at my engine. Marco should have signaled the trolley was there. Is he blind?” Mike said, angrily.

“Stoker, that’s enough! Marco, what happened?” Hank asked his senior lineman.

“I’m sorry Cap, I didn’t see it until it was too late. My sight was still adjusting from the bright sun, and I didn’t notice the trolley until it was too late. I’m sorry, Mike.”

Before Mike replied, Hank held up a hand to stop him from saying anything more. “Mike, move the rig forward a couple of feet,” he ordered.

Mike went and did as asked. Once the engine had been moved, Chet and Marco moved the trolley into an upright position. Chet started to collect the tools with Marco’s help. Mike returned and began to inspect the damage.

“Chet, Marco, go get cleaned up. When you’ve done that, finish cleaning up this mess with the trolley,” Hank instructed.

“Yes, Cap,” they both answered and left. Turning to his engineer, who was now under the rear of the rig. “Stoker,” Hank called. Not getting an answer, he called again, “Stoker!”

This time Mike came from under the engine and looked up at his captain.

“Stoker, when you’ve finished checking the engine over, report to me in my office. Do not speak to Lopez.”

“Yes, Cap,” Mike answered.

Leaving his engineer to do what he had to do, Hank walked to his office and sat in his chair and waited. Pulling out the forms for any repairs, the big rig might need.

Ten minutes later, Mike reported to his captain.

“Okay, Stoker, what’s the damage?”

“There’s no major damage as far as I could see,” Mike told Hank.

“Fine, then it’s okay, and we don’t need to send it to the workshop?”

“No, Cap. It’s okay as far as I can tell, but I’d like to take it for a quick run just around the block to make sure.”

“Sure, do it. I’ll take us out of service for fifteen minutes. Before I do that and you head off, I’d like to have a word with you about what happened when the incident occurred,” Seeing Mike sitting quietly waiting Hank continued. “I’d like you to apologize to Marco for what you said to him and how you said it.”

“Yes, Cap,” was all Mike said.

“You’re not going to argue with me?”

“No, Cap, I’m not. I’m sorry for how I acted. I promise to apologize to Marco.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Yes, I know going from bright sunlight to shade, you don’t always see things clearly, and I should have been more careful myself in that respect and stopped earlier after clearing the roller door.”

“I’m glad you realize that now. Accidents can happen to the best of us, including you.”

“Yeah, Cap, I do now.”

“Good, I’ll be having a word to Gage and DeSoto and where they push the trolley in the future, that way this won’t happen again.”

“Okay, Cap. Is that all?”

“One last thing. Are you going to seek revenge out on Marco?”

“No, it wasn’t Marco’s fault, but Gage, well.”

“Okay, you’re dismissed, Mike. I’ll call dispatch and let them know about the downtime, and I suggest you get going. I want you back here in ten minutes.”

“Yes, Cap,” Mike said and quickly left.

After leaving the office, Mike went in search of Marco. Seeing the trolley and all the tools now sitting in the corner farthest from the engine and behind where the squad usually sat. Trying the locker room, Mike came up empty, so he went to the kitchen.

Seeing the person he was looking for sitting at the table with a coffee and newspaper, he called out, “Marco, want to take a quick run around the block?”

“Um, yeah, sure. Is Cap okay with this?”

“Yes, but we only have ten minutes,” Mike said and left to get into the driver's seat.

Marco quickly left the kitchen and raced around to the seat where the captain would generally sit. Getting in, Marco acknowledged Mike, and they left the station for a quick drive to make sure no underlying damage had been done. When the engine returned, Chet was waiting and directed the big rig as it reversed into its position. No problems this time, and Hank got the nod that all was well with the big rig.

Returning to his office, Hank notified dispatch and put them back in service. Once that was done, he picked up the papers for repairs and put them back in the drawer they came from. Heaving a big sigh of relief, Hank sat back in his chair, happy that he didn’t have to face an irate head mechanic again. At least his engineer now knew accidents can happen to anyone, even him.


End file.
